Sole Spaventoso
by MrFiretank
Summary: "I wish I'd know myself. How would you feel if any knowledge of your mind was ripped away, only to wake up in a stranger's body inside an unknown temple with no idea where to start? Plus the food up here's too damn dry." -Lenton
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

* * *

The sun glared up above the skies, throwing its rays through the various holes of the wooden roof above my head. Despite that, I felt no warmth. Cold, freezing stings were the only sensations left on my skin. Not even the fur coat of whatever it had been from helped my situ-

"ARGH, D-DAMMIT! WHY DID I HAVE TO LAND IN A S-S-STUPID PLACE LIKE THIS!?"

Okay, it was official. I've been doomed ever since I arrived in this goddamn wasteland of snow and mountains, not even being able to tell where in the world I ended up. No map of my world (if I remembered any) could've helped me out of this.

But regardless, circumstances were more than confusing.

Picking up a broken mirror shard lying next to me with my gloved hand, I stare through the reflection at a face that wasn't my own. The silver hair woven into locks and going down the back of my neck, the rich skin color combined with a youthful face and freckles under my eyes...

Oh, and the actual iris being a seething tone of bright orange. ORANGE! Not even some kind of special brown, but instead it glowed at me li-

'Okay relax, relax! I'm obviously freaking out and this cold is not helping,' my mind reminded me before I would shout again. Down the list of odd occurrences would be me waking up inside this...abandoned temple-thing out of wood and stone in seemingly the middle of nowhere. Many scrolls and other notes were strewn around this place, walls and roof damaged plus an unfamiliar stench of copper hung in the air.

'Luckily I wasn't entirely butt-naked when getting here, else I'd already been an ice cube.' My memory is also kinda funky. No, not amnesia-level bad but definitely a few gaps up my head. Shaking in my boots from the temperatures occupied a lot of my mind, though some stuff I could salvage.

My original name of Lenton. Lenton...something. Deverah? Duke? Dunk? Something with 'D' as the first letter anyway. I was a pretty unspectacular high-school student before the great freeze (yes, I already gave this dilemma a nickname) happened. Someone who wasn't exactly known for his morals. I would do bad stuff, yes, but nothing too mayor or the like.

...I can already feel the head shake from everyone. And in case you're wondering why I'm talking to myself? Think: Would you like to stuck in a blizzard all by yourself without anyone to keep you sane? Didn't think so.

My life could've been described as boring but happy. I didn't particularly wish for any big change-

"ARGH! C-C-COLD!" A gust of air just blew down under! This is so not cool! Perhaps seeing my own breathing ahead of me was entertaining but DEFINITELY NOT THE AIR!

C'mon Lent, keep talking before your mouth freezes shut as well!

Where was I? Ah yes, boring life. My hobbies, friends, and family were all pretty much the same. Read a lot, rather scrawny but didn't become totally useless myself. Pretty much similar to 70% of all common backstories out there, if I'm not wrong.

Now thinking about it...one thing I did like was borrowing things. From unimportant stuff to perhaps personal goods, just having it as my own felt special to me. That's why I always used to borrow DVDs and video games instead of buying them. Kleptomancy, was it?

That's also why I have bills racking up each month from unreturned stuff. Not the smartest of things I did in my life...

Back to the situation at hand, my body's been covered in what seemed to be the only undamaged corner of this temple, certainly not warm but it kept the harsh weather away. I tried scouting out the place for any sheets or other clothing I could warm myself up with, though it seemed to have been ransacked from head to toe. None of the stuff that actually belonged to me was to be found as well.

Though for once I was lucky to have been wrong at least. Underneath one of the floorboards that had been partially ripped open (and I was indeed this desperate) held a small package, wrapped in neatly stitched cloth.

Inside of it had been a knife. Double-sided blade, cool material, sheathe made out of some animal's skin and a pretty handle out of ebony and wrapped, black strip. All of it seemed like one flowing piece, like a wave. My inner child had to test it at least on a few of the boards and that thing was quite sharp!

The knife went into my pockets, the cloth was used to cover up my face from the weather. Still, nothing to keep me warm, however. Isolating any source of heat seemed impossible in here and my clothing offered minimal resistance.

Ugh...

Hm?

"Oh hey, w-would you look at that," my mouth unconsciously commented as I could hear the sound of harsh wind silence down. Standing up felt like a challenge with numb legs but I made my way towards the entrance door. It was still freezing, yet the gusts of air wouldn't make this moment worse.

Double doors, huge engravings of moon-like symbols and a set of handles out of brass to open them made them stand out quite a bit. Definitely also a hassle to open them! "GET OPEN YOU STUPID ENTRANCE!" Had to push my bodyweight against them for the thing to budge. Albeit all the so-far existing exhaustion, I couldn't help and just stand there once my eyes met the view ahead...

And stare...

And stare more.

I definitely was somewhere high up, judging from how the dozens of different mountains and plains past them stretched out in the horizon. There was a small path ahead of me, though it looked very rough and dangerous, breaking off at multiple places and nowhere offering protection from falling off. Survey says I'd die a painful death if I were to drop down.

Turning my head back, old wooden beams and a damaged front greeted my eyes. Whoever had lived before here was certainly a victim of a harsh attack. I felt bad for that fact alone, since my idiocy led to damaging the place up, even more, a few moments ago. First I wake up in perhaps a dead person's home, then I cause property damage. Go me.

"...Can't take back personal stupidity anyways," were my final words on the matter before I looked down again. Road or not, it seemed to lead to a deeper main road quite a bit down. This seemed more like something a mountain climber would cherish, from how steep the rock formations went. 'And I don't even have a rope on me. Just that coat, gloves, shoes, hood, facemask and knife. What odds.' A silver lining was how, despite me being unable to see what lied past a curve on the road, much of the terrain under my position wasn't covered in snow. Sharp rocks, yes. Very pointy, deadly rocks-

"Ugh, are those faces on there!? What the fuck!?" Inspecting the individual side of that mountain again showed strewn around sets of...golden-ish armor with quite a few skeletons in them. And perhaps those weren't just bones, seeing how I could make out the eyes, teeth and ugh, those looks of horror in their features. Whatever happened to them definitely scared the wits out of that bunch. Backtracking once more, there at least wasn't much snow, meaning I could get a proper breather downstairs.

'Well,' my mind began. 'That road ahead seems like the only safe passage. Semi-deadly and dangerous indeed, but better than diving down the cliff of a wooden hut's position.'

...Fuck it. I don't want to starve and so far nothing has gnawed at me. Might as well be productive and not sit around until I become an ice statue. With my feet moving ahead, I carefully made my way towards that corner in the distance; a slim section in the middle of the rock that seemed to angle downwards. Adrenaline, don't fail me now!

Step by step...move inch by inch, don't look down-

"And there we...go, oh you gotta be kidding me." More pathway, which seemed perfectly clear of white, cold dust (not that kind) at the side. Speaking of which, it was rather odd how everything was decked in untouched snow, safe for the one pathway ahead.

"Right, this will be fine! Just need to get over that one tiny hill. No sweat."

* * *

"This...is **not**...FINE!" You may call me crazy under the proof of me talking to myself. Just to myself? Please only be me.

But despite having lost track of time, I walked over that supposedly tiny hill 8 times now and ended up on the beginning of that stupid corner tunnel EVERY TIME! Either I've gone insane or some mysterious superpower is playing tricks on me.

"Huff...I need...a break..."

Noticing my legs growing weak and the aching sensation of my muscles, I threw myself onto the sheet of snow to my right, limbs stretched out from my back. This new...face, body or whatever seemed to have at least some advantages. My current stamina was better than my self when I climbed that stupid brick wall once.

Mom never let me live that down. At least we were able to laugh about it now.

Aah, the cold felt nice now. How the winter under my body cushion muscles and body, how the calm winds seemed so chilling yet peaceful. I felt warm right now. Even that sensation of a tongue licking my cheek made me chuckle-

Waaaaaait.

Surprising how my eyes closed without me noticing- GOD WHY IS EVERYTHING COLD AGAIN!?

"F-F-F-FUCK! I-I FELT A-A-AT P-PEACE!" I whipped my hooded and half-covered face towards whatever cruelly ripped me from the slumber-

Only to have every bad and dark word promptly choke in my own throat as my eyes made contact with...presumably the cutest ball of fur in existence. Those round eyes staring up at me, a pair of stubby horns poking out on top of its head and then this white fur covering everything-

"Mieh!", bleats that tiny creature in my face, watching how it stuck that perfectly round tongue out of its mouth and...AND...

"Awww, aren't you adorable!"

In the end, I gave up on my wrath, instead smiling like an idiot as I ruffled the little furball's...uh, fur. The thing seemed to quite enjoy it, judging how they leaned closer into my hand's touch. "Mieh! Meh!"

Wasn't he just a bundle of adorableness? Regardless, whatever just happened seemed to have cost me quite some time. The horizon's sun was beginning to set, hulling everything in a gentle orange. Clouds were almost trailing in the blue ocean like boats, all different yet following the same direction.

"Hmm...guess my nap took longer than I thought." Perhaps I should make my way down the road before night settles in. So standing up, brushing the little firm of frozen water off my body and stretching my freezing muscles from the cold, my feet moved once more towards the hi-

"MIEH! Meh meh!"

"Hm- WHOA!" From behind me, a sudden weight almost made me topple down towards the steep side, though I managed to save myself easily.

...By helplessly flailing with my legs before I could flop down to by rear. It took me a moment to realize how the sudden weight was moving past my shoulder into my hood until my neck was filled with the sensation of fluffy warmth. 'Oh. Ohhh, that feels good.'

"Seems like you want to come along, huh?"

"Mieh!", came out in a muffled noise from my hood, filled with a tiny wiggle that caused me to be tickled. "Heh heh! Alright, alright! You can come along, I guess," my mind quickly relented, inwardly being quite happy to not traverse this stupid weather all on my own.

Yet all happiness of the moment vanished as I looked at the tiny ahead of me causing the worst muscle pains during my time on this mountain. Chance was I'd just land at the beginning and exhaust myself in this stupid cycle.

'Should we really risk this stupid repeat of events again?', my mind complained. Perhaps it was the silence of air around me, the annoyance of the situation or that bundle of cuteness hiding out in my hood...but I unconsciously made my way towards the steep path...

Surprisingly, this time there wasn't the same, boring road ahead. Instead, I could make out a new pathway going down to the snowless layer, details of a few buildings coming into view. Looked rather rural but considering the place it was located at, who was to blame?

Jackpot.

"Buddy, seems like we aren't alone on this mountain." / "Meh!"

Here's hoping to a peaceful first contact.

...

* * *

_(This is a small idea that came up thanks to a few friends discussing lore. Here's to you, guys.)_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

* * *

Watching the gentle glow of the little tents and huts on the road ahead filled me both with happiness and unease. I was glad to know how I hadn't been stranded in a world wiped of all other humans (which actually seems like a very depressing thought). However, I knew nothing about them in hindsight. They could be murderers, cannibals or even worse!

"...I'm suddenly not so sure about this anymore," I whispered under my breath, getting a tiny noise from the furball behind my neck, managing to crack a smile despite my inner uncertainty.

"Then let's see how I'm greeted." Slowly, my eyes wandered around the little campsite, the lights inside the various tents flickering in their glow. A formation of rocks and boulders seemed to protect against winds from the cliffside. Certainly didn't seem like they were to stay long.

At the end of the camp, I could something akin to a stall, grunts and other noises audible from creatures sporting incredible manes. Long strands of white alongside reins wrapped from their neck up.

...Fluffy fur, need to pat.

"Hey there," I slowly spoke as one of the animals opened their eyes, gazing at me in a combination of curiosity and suspicion. Perhaps I could've also been a snack for it but there didn't really seem to be much interest. Am I a lucky guy or what?

They looked more like fluffy lions with the faces of a goat. "There, there...I won't hurt you," came from me as a hand floated just above their face. A nose came up to the palm, taking some sniffs before it just laid back down with their eyes closed.

Sure enough, it let me pet him...her? No idea and no interest in looking down there right now. I couldn't exactly feel the huge mane under my gloves, though the lion-goat-thing wasn't pulling back. "Guess you don't hate me, huh?"

"Being hated by the Tamus would certainly be a new low, traveler."

"GAH! I-I'M SORRY!" The next seconds were pretty much a blur. All I could make out was my feet slipping, wood snapping and a little burst of pain from my shoulder while the little guy in my hood made a high-pitched noise at that. Blinking with my eyes at least helped me look from the ground towards who had called me out. Their tattered coat seemed somewhat dirty at the edges, a dull yellow and blue being the main colors for his sweater, pants and...hiking boots. 'Damn, those spikes definitely shouldn't belong to cloth boots.'

"Not to keen on being caught in the act, huh?", commented the man, an old but unclear expression on their pale face, their grey beard fully covering up his facial features despite the bald shine on his head. Even with the eyes closed, I could feel their presence reap through my confidence. That, or the amusement radiating from them.

"Argh...no, I certainly prefer to pat animals in secret, thank you very much," I snarkily replied automatically before my mind could process these words. Inwardly I had to cringe at how rude this reply sounded, yet couldn't help but stare when the unknown man only chucked as I pushed myself up. "Not sure if that was something to laugh at, Sir."

"Hehe, it's quite alright young one. I've rarely seen such fire from a person as young as you."

"Comes with annoyance and frustration in a package." Quite a bit of dust and mud had caked my left arm's sleeve at the rough landing. I had to awkwardly rub at it, though that would leave an unsightly stain on it. The stranger made no movement from where he stood, simply option to eyeing me from a few feet apart. Surely not creepy...

"Are you also a pilgrim of Targon? I can understand traveling up the mountain on your own; not the first vagabond I'd meet." Targon? Up? Is there something up the peak or why? Don't think they're aiming for bragging rights, honestly.

"You could say that." That man doesn't seem too rude or impatient but I have no idea who else is around here. Keeping my real self a secret should give me more assurance at least. "I'm...Zuko. Yes, Zuko!"

Great, first that rude beginning and now nabbing a name from Avatar?

"Zuko...quite a unique name for a traveler of the mountain," mumbled the elder, tilting his head as if to inspect something on me. "You don't seem to be from this region as well."

Crap. "Uh, yeah! You know, I'm from the south!" Double crap. "Traveling was quite tedious and all, hehe."

"Heh. Our tribe can relate. Almost everyone in this region seeks out in the sun's virtue." The sun? Is this some sort of deity-thing or what? "But enough of the idle chattering. Night will soon settle in and you don't seem exactly...prepared, are you?"

If he's talking about how I had nothing on me that would make my life in this situation easier (safe for my clothing, the fancy knife, and my furry companion), then yes. "You uh, wouldn't have a spare tent or something?"

"Lucky for you, there is one more available. Erbok mane should harbor no trouble while keeping you warm, I assume?" Look, I would love to tell you how none of these animal names make no sense to me, but blowing my cover would suck.

"Of course not. Just glad to have a resting space here." And yeah. Lying to a kind stranger wasn't the best feeling in the world...

* * *

This blanket was weird. Not a bad kind of weird mind you, though it seemed to have an oily glint to the strands of silver hair. As a recap, three hours had passed after the unknown man took me into his tribe. Though, he was the only one I encountered so far within the settlement of a few dozen tents.

Quite frankly, a lot of questions were still floating around my head as I laid in my makeshift bed, hood and facemask down to reveal my new, tanned face. 'He mentioned the name Targon...is this what the mountain is called by the locals?'

'Then he seemed to put the sun in high value. Sure, the sun makes life on earth possible in the first place but this is kinda awkward.'

Not to mention this annoying buzz in my head. Whenever my thoughts shift towards my life before the awakening, it worsens. The closest I can remember to is falling asleep on one night, dreading school whilst making up an excuse for not doing homework. Not exactly the most drama-filled day, right-

"Mieh?" Turning my head to the left as this trail of thinking was interrupted, I spot the white bundle of fluff lying next to my head, those googly, huge eyes glancing at me in curiosity.

"...You're really adorable, you know that?"

"Mieh!"

"Hehe, guess that is a yes. Man, I'm glad you're here, that way I don't feel so lonely," was my response as a hand began patting the cute bundle, them leaning closer in response. "Mieh..."

Soon the urge to sleep beckoned my mind, with how much exhaustion I loaded onto me after today. As the edges of my vision became a blur and darkness took over, one more thought managed to cross my mind as I glanced into the reflection of the fluffy creature's eyes.

"Weren't my eyes bright orange, not a glowing silver?"

* * *

Unknown to our friend's whereabouts, two more individuals felt a shift on the mountain's realm. One of them had opened their eyes as they sat idle in the infirmary of their base. Despite their training and acquired resistance to the cold, some of her men were injured by Targon's whims after an encounter with a pack of Bolors. Those nasty predators clawed at her men, taking the arm of one and shredding the armor of another, having the latter freeze mercilessly past the strong blizzards.

"Lady? Are you still awake?"

"Hm? Oh, Ruhoi. Speak your mind."

"As our leader of the Ra'Horak and Aspect of the Sun, I worry for your health," commented the armed fighter who stood in the doorway, gleaming in tones of gold across their body.

"Please be assured, there is no need to spare a thought," calmly explained the long-haired woman, finishing a note as she looked into the sky from the window to her left. A half-moon bloomed in full view. Sighing, she turned back to the parchment on her table.

"But I can't help feel as if...the moon's presence brought forth something new."

"Should we perhaps head out tomorrow in search for any anomalies, miss?"

"It might be for the best."

* * *

"...So the sun spawned yet another twilight reflection. Those defiling the gods...don't seem to be the ones behind it. But then what side are you on, o abomination of denial?"

...

_(To be continued...)_


End file.
